Toy acrobat



E. V. BABBITT NQv. 29, 1927.

TOY ACROBAT wal/g. @fw WW. a @m Filed June 8. 1926 Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

EDWIN v. :BABBITLOF'FAIBHAVEN MASSACHUSETTS.

TOY ACROBAT. i

" Appucauon inea June s,

This inventionrelates to a toy includin a i figure `simulating an acrobat and opera le to cause said figure tomakemotions resembling those of anacrobat engaged in turning hand springs. n

In my application for a patent for av toy acrobat, filed July 31, 1925, Serial No. 47,27 2, I have disclosed a toy comprising a base, bearings rising from the base, inflexible upright shafts rotatably mounted in the bearings, flexible shafts connected to the upper ends of the upright shafts and rising thence and curving toward one another, and a body connected to the adjacent parts of' theL springs, said adjacent parts constituting a horizontal axis `about which the body is revoluble by the rotation of the shafts., Said base is adapted to rest on a table, and the shafts are manipulated manually vby the user. Y.

The present invention is embodied in a toy in which the base is supported by running gear including traction wheels, adapted to run on. a floor and fixed to an axle constituting an element of means krotating the shafts and revolving` the ligure when the toy is moved along the floor, the revolving movement of the figure being caused wholljT by the rotation of vthe traction wheels.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, j l

Figure 1 is a front view of atoy embodying the invention, parts l:being shown in section. Y

Figure 2 is a side 'view` Figure 3 is a bottom View. s p

Figure 4 is a section on line 4--4 of F1gure .2. f

Figure 5 shows in perspective and separately a portion of the base or platform hereinafter described, and one of the upright shaft bearings, the bearing being partly com pleted.

Figure 6 shows the platform vin Vsection on line 6-6 of Figure 5, and the bearing in elevation, completed and engaged with the platform.

Figure 7 ure 6. v

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the gures.

The figure `simulates an acrobat or clown is a section on line 7-7 o-f Figand includes a body 12 and curved flexible shafts 13, fixed to the upper portion of'the body and projecting from opposite sides thereof, the shafts 13 simulating the arms `central portion 17 192e. serial No. 114,485.V

of the figure and being preferablycomposed of 'helically coiled Wire. The' shafts are preferably fixed to the body by the insertion of their inner` ends in sockets 14 in the body, the diameter ofthe sockets being less than that of the convolutionsy of the wire, so

that the end convolutions are compressed j and are caused by their effort to expand to firmly engage the socketwalls. f i 15 designates a platform, preferably of sheet metal andprovided with a marginal stiffening flange 16. `fromtheplatform are bearings for the inflexible upright shafts hereinafterl described. Fach of said bearings is preferably composed of a single vpiece of sheet metal, formed' as Fixed to and. rising best shown by vFigures 3,r 6, and 7. The" piece bearsat its lower edge on theplatform and includes a central portiony 17, having an upper bearing learl, and a lower bearing ear19, said `ears having perforations 20, `receiving the lower end portions of the up rightl shafts. *The piece also includes brace portions 21, projecting obliquely from the and` provided with tongues 22 (Figure 5)fins'erted in slots 23 in the'platform and bent to bear on the under side of the latter. The tongues 22'and thelower bearing 19 are vertical, before the bearing is engaged with the platform, so that a vdownward movement of thesheet metalv pieceenters thel tongues 22 in the slots 23, and entersthe'lower bearing ear in another slot 24, said tongues and ear being subsequently bent to bear on thev underside of the platform, as shown by Figures 6 and 7. Although I have thusparticularly describedA the preferred construction of the bearings, I am not limited thereto.

l Journaled in the bearings' are the vlower end portions of inflexible upright' shafts,

referably composed ofcentral sections25, which may be wooden rods, upper and lower soclretefd` spherical sections 26 and 27, fixed to the endsof the sections 275, and lowersections 28, preferably wire rods, fixed in the lower sections 27 and inserted loosely in the orifices of the bearing ears 18 and 19, and projecting below the platform, as shown by Figure 1.

The outer ends of the flexible shafts 13 are xed to the upper ends of the upright shafts, preferably by the insertionof the outer convolutions of the wire in sockets 29, in the upper sections 26, as shown by Figure 4, the convolutions being compressed ros vio

18, so that the weight ofiiihe fshaftsand' of `the toy figure is supported by said ears.

The platform l5 is supported by riiiiiii-i-igN gear which includes an axle 31,*journaled Aiii bearings in the flange 16", and traction wheels 32, ixedto the axle, so that the axleis rotated by the rotation of the w'lieels, the .axle being substantially at right angles with the upright shafts.

The axle fis connected with Vthe upright shaftsby'gearing adapted to transmit torque ifrornt'he axle'tlirough the upright and flexible shafts, and thereby revolve the body about a lhorizontal axis Vformed by the inner ends-of the flexible shafts joined to the body, the .shafts being rotated .simultaneously in .opposite directions.

Said gearing includes larger gears 33, having hubs which arefixed to the lower ends of the reduced .upright shaft sections 2.8, and Smaller gears34 which arefixed to the axle 431,'and mesh with kthe 'largerfgears Said gears ,are preferably formed as stampings 'f .from sheet metal, the preferred form thereof .being clearly shown by Figures l and 3. They are :in effect crown ybevel gears, and

vmay have theL usual conventional forni of .bevel or meter ears if desired. The smaller ,gears jengage t e larger vgears at the youter marginal portions of the latter, so that the larger 4gears ,and 4the shafts' driven thereby, are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions When ythe described toy is moved on a floor, .the gure ,is continuously revolved in a vertical plane and simulates an acrobat en- .gaged' inv turning 'hand springs. The running gear may .include a rear idle traction j Wheel 3.6, kjournaledin l.bearings in a rear- Vwardly yprojecting bracket .37, fixed to the iplatform flange; The preferred arrangement .is such that when lthe toy is running on a floor, the platform and vthe upright shafts are slil .htly inclined, ,as shown by Fig- ,uref2, and e .center of gavity is between the forward traction wheels 32 and the rear traction-wheel 36. j

lclaim:

- r 1. A toy acrobat comprising a platform,

.upright shafts supported by and rising from said platform, wheels supporting the plat- 'i tbody v:located Yhetweengsaidshafts7 and exible arm members secured to and projecting lfreni-iopposite sides of the body, each being curved downwardly and secured to the adjaceii't upright shaft "in continuation thereof; said arm members constituting at the same time means for supporting the bodyfand means ffor rotating the body about a 'transverse axis passing through the Apoints 'at which the arms spring from the tbody.

2. A figure toy as specified by claim y'1,'fthe platform .being of sheet tinetal, the upright shafts having enlarged upper end portions and reduced lower 'end portions, and the 'said bearings being composed of single upright sheet 'metal pieces, bearing at their' lower edges on the platform and including central portions having bearing fears at their upper and lower ends, perforated 'to receive the reduced ends of the uprightsh'aft'portions and 'brace portions projecting obliquely from the body portions, and provided with tongues inserted in slots in thev platform and bearing on the,A under sideI thereof, the lower bea-ring ears being inserted in vother 'slots in -the'plzrtform and bearing on .the under side thereof, i

'the enlarged upper end 4portions 'of the *up- .right shafts bearin on the 'upper bearing ears, so that the weight 'of the torqutrans initting shafts and the figure is supported by said upper ears.

3. 'A iiguretoy as specified by claim 1, ythe lower ends of the `upright shafts projecting through the platform, the said gearing comprising larger bevel Agears fixed to lthe shafts lbelow the platform, 'and smaller bevel gears fixed to the axle and meshing with the larger gears, the ai'rangementrbeing suclrthat A-the larger gears and shafts are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions. I

4. A figure toy as specified lby claim 2l,"the running gear including also a rear 'idle traction wheel and bearings therefor projecting rearwardly from the platform, the arrangement being ysuch that the center of gravity is between 't'he traction wheels Aon the a'xle an the rear traction wheel.

In testimony whereof T have aixed my signature.

EDwrN v. BABBITT. 

